Risk taking and gambling have always been a part of human nature, and accordingly a multitude of games of chance have been developed to meet this need. Many such games involve cards, but most such card games involve play against another player, and one player's fortune is to at least some extent dependent upon the skill (or lack thereof) of the other player(s). Also, many, if not most such games, have relatively complex rules, which require the player(s) to engage in a fair amount of preparation and study in order to become proficient at the game.
Accordingly, simpler games have been developed, which require no appreciable amount of effort or thought on the part of the player(s). Baccarat, while having an aura of elegance, is one such game having relatively simple rules. However, the simplicity of the rules has led to a corresponding simplicity in the relatively few types of wagers which may be placed during the play of the game, which may limit interest on the part of the player(s) and thus further limit the casino in terms of profit and payout.
The need arises for a baccarat game providing for additional types of wagers over and above the standard bets, which are limited to betting on either the player or the banker hand, or in some games a tie between the two hands. The game should provide added interest by providing for "surrender" bets, in which a player may surrender half of his/her bet before the hand is played out, rather than risk losing all of the bet; "natural" bets, i.e., two cards having a total value of eight or nine; "super" tie and "jackpot" tie bets, in which not only is betting on a tie hand allowed, but also the specific count of the tied hands and (for jackpot ties) matching card values, e.g., four or six of a kind; and finally for flush hands, in which the four, five, or six card total of the player and banker hands are all of the same suit. While the rules of the game would remain the same, thus encouraging entry into the game by players without the time or inclination to learn a complex game, the different types of wagers permitted serve to add interest for those players who would enjoy making additional wagers on the game.